Jacob Misiorowski Steals the Show as Brewers Snatch 1st Place From Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers have one of the best pitchers in the game.

May 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) delivers the ball against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers are in a familiar spot right now: first place in the National League Central.

Milwaukee entered the 2026 season with three straight National League Central titles under its belt, but it let other clubs warm up the spot early on this season as the Brewers tried to inch towards full strength with injuries popping up all over the place. Milwaukee floated around .500 with Jackson Chourio, Andrew Vaughn, Christian Yelich and Quinn Priester all out. Eventually, Brandon Woodruff landed on the Injured List as well.

The Brewers weathered the storm and have now gotten Chourio, Vaughn and Yelich back into the lineup and the club has unsurprisingly completely turned it on. The Brewers took down the Chicago Cubs on Monday night to kick off a three-game series and move within a half-game of their rival. On Tuesday, Jacob Misiorowski delivered a masterpiece for Milwaukee and it took down the Cubs, 5-2, to move into first place in the National League Central. With one game left to go in the series, the Brewers have sole possession of first place in the National League Central with a half-game lead over the Cubs.

Jacob Misiorowski Is On Another Level

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) throws during the first inning of their game against the San Diego Padres Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Misiorowski has been one of the hottest pitchers on the planet and he shined once again on Tuesday night. The big flamethrower pitched six shutout innings against the Cubs and allowed just three base hits while striking out eight batters.

He actually became the first pitcher in big league history to have five straight starts of eight or more strikeouts and no extra-base hits allowed, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"Jacob Misiorowski is the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have 5 straight starts of 8+ strikeouts and no extra-base hits allowed," Hogg wrote. "He hasn't allowed an extra-base hit in a month and five days. He's struck out 44 batters in that time."

He's also the only hurler in the big leagues so far this month with a 0.00 ERA and 35 or more strikeouts.

There is only one pitcher this month with:

0.00 ERA
35+ SO

That pitcher is Jacob Misiorowski. pic.twitter.com/RTAvCcPlWE

— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 20, 2026

Simply put, the young righty is just pitching at another level right now.

Jacob Misiorowski's 8th K of the night is his 88th this season 🔥

He struck out 87 over 66 IP in his rookie campaign. pic.twitter.com/vdncGR5hQZ

— MLB (@MLB) May 20, 2026

There isn't a hurler in the league with more strikeouts than Misiorowski (88) and now he has a 1.89 ERA as well. If the Brewers keep getting starts like this out of Misiorowski, they won't just be at the top of the NL Central standings. Milwaukee is 28-18 on the season so far. The club is much closer to full strength than it was. This is a team that can make a run at the top overall record in baseball.